PixieDusting: Asian Tour: Hanoi, Vietnam

Visiting Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam is quite unique. It's a combination of Asian culture and somewhat French style (Hanoi was colonized by France in the 19th century and was reoccupied in the 1940s). Old Quarter is still the busiest commercial center and a good place to stay if you want to dine, shop and haggle for the lowest price. Be warned though that busy here also means chaos just like in other market places in other Asian countries like ours.

items on display in a souvenir store

a commercial building in The Old Quarter

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

street peddler

street meal on the sidewalk

night market

I also observed that Vietnamese tradition is more intact here relative to the American influenced city of Ho Chi Minh. I think it's because Hanoi is the center of the communist North before the Reunification in 1976.

Part of their tradition is the art of water puppetry. The puppet theater is also in the Old Quarter. This is a must see if you want to know their culture and arts.

puppet show

Visit to Halong Bay is also a must. One can see the beautiful rock formations and can swim in its clear water. Local people are also warm and friendly. There is a fishermen village in the bay wherein they literally live in the water with their floating houses, school and barangay center. Cool huh?

boat lady

Finally, the best place to visit is the Hoan Kiem Lake at the center of the city. People converge in this area especially in the late afternoon, where one can just sit in one of the benches, watch lovers doing their thing, kids playing, couples in their wedding dresses doing photoshoot, elderly folks playing some traditional board games or just watch the day go by. I so love this idea of a place where people can converge and have a good time unlike in a very commercialized place were people usually standby in malls.